Missy G's Sweet Potato Pound Cake

In 'All Cakes Considered' by Melissa Gray

• Ready In: 4 hrs 45 mins
• Serves: 20

Ingredients

• Cake

• 4  medium sweet potatoes, about
• 1  cup unsalted butter
• 1  cup sugar
• 1  cup dark brown sugar
• 4  large eggs
• 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  teaspoon  maple flavoring
• 1⁄2 cup  peeled diced granny smith apple

• Topping

• 2  tablespoons  cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
• 2  tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Bake your sweet potatoes for at least 45 minutes; use a knife to test for doneness-the potato should be very mushy inside its shriveled skin.
3. Remove from oven and cool for 1 hour.
4. Slit each skin lengthwise and remove, leaving the soft, orange center.
5. Mash with a potato masher and measure out 2 cups for this recipe.
6. Cool to room temperature before mixing the cake.
7. Make the cake-position oven rack so the cake will sit in the middle of the oven, preheat oven to 325°.
8. Line the bottom of a 10-inch tube pan with parchment paper, and spray the sides and bottom with baking spray.
9. Cream the butter with a mixer on medium speed.
10. Combine the sugars in a separate bowl.
11. Gradually add to the creamed butter, 1/4 cup at a time, beating at medium to high speed after each addition.
12. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating a medium to high speed for 1 minute after adding each one.
13. Decrease mixer speed to low and add the mashed potatoes, 1/2 cup at a time.
14. In a separate bowl, dry whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
15. In another bowl, combine the milk, vanilla, and maple flavoring.
16. With the mixer still on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk mixture, beating after each addition.
17. Start with a third of the flour mixture, beat, then add half of the milk mixture, beat again, and repeat until the last of the flour mixture has been added and beaten inches.
18. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and then mix the batter on medium to high speed for 2 minutes.
19. Slow the mixer down to the lowest speed and add the apples, mixing until just incorporated.
20. Pour the batter into the prepared pan; smooth with the back of a spoon.
21. The topping-in yet another bowl, combine the cold butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans.
22. Mix with a wooden spoon and do not fret because the mixture is crumbly.
23. Sprinkle the topping all over the surface of the batter.
24. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes before testing for doneness.
25. Use a sharp knife to test the cake, and poke it around in a couple of places to determine whether it is finished (this cake can fool ya.).
26. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes; then, using the plate-over-pan method, unmold the cake and flip it onto a cake rack, topping side up.